Grand Theft Auto V PC Review

Grand Theft Auto V, the massively successful game that first launched on the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 back in September 2013, has finally made its debut on the PC. Drawing on inspirations of American culture in Southern California, Rockstar Games’ transports players to a fictionalized world of Los Angeles in the most visually stunning game ever released for PC.

And with exciting new features such as the Rockstar Editor for movie-making, the ability to make custom playlists for radio stations, and 4K resolution textures, this is by far the definitive version of the game.

The story

GTA V’s unique approach to story telling allows players to instantly switch around between the game’s three playable characters, Michael, Trevor Franklin, while keeping them in the center of the action at all times throughout the city of Los Santos. The open world design allows players to roam the San Andrea countryside at there leisure, from the towering skyscrapers of Los Santos, to the sandy beaches inspired by Santa Monica, the diverse environment makes for a blast to explore.

The game is played from either a first-person or third-person view and players can get around on foot or by vehicle, unless you’re lucky enough to hijack a helicopter, airplane, or jet ski. The story predominately revolves around several heists carried about by the game’s three protagonists mentioned above, hence bringing back that shooting and driving gameplay we’ve all grown to love in the consoles versions.

For every crime a player commits however, their “wanted” level will increase, which determines how aggressive the response will be by law enforcement agencies to kill or apprehend you. Police getaways were the most memorable experience I took way from the game as nothing beat the thrill of racing through the city at uncomprehending speeds with dozens of cops in hot pursuit behind you.

Same game, better experience

While in technicality this is the same game you’ve already played on the 360, PS3, One, and PS4, none of these versions compare to what the PC edition has brought to the table. It’s without a doubt the definitive version of the game and should be a must-buy for anyone who owns a gaming PC. Rockstar set out with a goal to make the best looking game on PC, and they passed with flying colors.

The great thing about GTA V on PC though is that you don’t need a thousand dollar computer to run the beast. Modest minimum specs will still achieve beautiful visuals and steady performance, while those with top-of-the-line rigs can crank up the visuals.

GTA V on PC proves why everyone should be excited about the 4K games of the future. For the few that will be able to support such a crazy resolution size on their rigs, the payoff is well worth it. While 1080p looks great and is achievable with an average spec rig, nothing competes with how beautiful GTA V looks in 4K and beyond resolutions. The best technical upgrade the PC version brought to the table is without a doubt the draw distance upgrade.

The draw distance on the PS4/XB1 versions was doubled from the old generation. It’s even further improved upon in the PC version, where you can see for miles with even more clarity and detail than previously possible. The PC version is also the only machine GTA V runs on that can achieve frame-rates higher than 30 FPS. Running around Los Santos at a silky-smooth 60FPS was a treat in itself, allowing for ultimate control, handling, and precision targeting.

However, the feature everyone will appreciate and be able to enjoy no matter your rig’s strength is the new Rockstar Editor. The Rockstar Editor is a full-featured suite of editing tools that allow players to capture, edit, and share their favorite creations with the wider community. Players can create movies using recorded gameplay and have access to a full suite of editing tools with additional licensed and original music. Director Mode allows players to even stage scenes using any actor from GTA V such as story characters, members of the ambient population and even animals.

The verdict

For the millions of players who already own GTA V, the PC version is without a doubt the version every fan should own regardless of if they own the console edition. With beautiful 4K resolutions for higher end rigs, movie creation tools with Rockstar Editor, and support for up to 30 players online, this is the definitive version of the game that should be present in the libraries on every PC gamer’s computer.